Canada’s navy chief mentioned Ottawa is “extremely ” in boosting its “protection nexus” with regional companions
Canada is hoping to affix the US-led AUKUS navy alliance alongside Australia and the UK, the Globe and Mail has reported, noting the federal government want to take part within the non-nuclear facets of the 2021 deal created to counter Beijing.
Although Prime Minister Justin Trudeau beforehand urged Ottawa had little interest in the safety pact – which is about to furnish Canberra with US nuclear know-how – Canada has since modified course and now seeks to affix, two unnamed officers instructed the Globe and Mail on Monday.
“Canada’s cause for wanting to affix now’s to not purchase nuclear-powered submarines, like Australia, however relatively to take part within the second pillar of the AUKUS settlement,” the outlet reported. That would come with “information-sharing and shut co-operation on accelerating growth of cutting-edge applied sciences,” similar to “undersea protection capabilities, synthetic intelligence, quantum know-how and hypersonic warfare.”
Requested whether or not officers had submitted a proper software to turn out to be a celebration to the AUKUS deal, Protection Minister Anita Anand declined to present a direct reply, as an alternative saying Ottawa is “extremely occupied with furthering cooperation on AI, quantum computing and different superior applied sciences with a protection nexus with our closest allies.”
“Our ties with our 5 Eyes allies are sturdy, and certainly we stay occupied with furthering cooperation in AI and different innovation efforts with our allies,” she added, referring to the intelligence-sharing alliance between Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA.
One of many sources reached by the Globe and Mail mentioned Canada is now ready to see how the three AUKUS events will react to its potential participation, noting that Ottawa already shares intelligence with every member and will merely broaden these efforts ought to it’s introduced on board.
Canada isn’t the primary Western nation to sign a willingness to affix AUKUS after it was first introduced in 2021, with New Zealand additionally contemplating participation within the non-nuclear elements of the deal, in response to the nation’s protection minister, Andrew Little. The UK’s minister for protection procurement, Alex Chalk, additionally beforehand hinted that different nations might become involved, although didn’t specify any nation by identify.
Created as a strategy to deter China within the Indo-Pacific, the AUKUS pact has come underneath hearth from Beijing repeatedly. In March, Overseas Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin mentioned the deal would solely “encourage an arms race, harm the worldwide nuclear nonproliferation regime and hurt regional stability and peace,” urging the three events to cease “ignoring the issues of the worldwide group.”
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